After 2024 Derby City Distaff Stakes (USA-G1) winner Vahva followed up two unplaced efforts and a six-month layoff with a seventh-place finish in the 2025 edition of the Derby City Distaff, a fair number of observers wondered if the mare shouldn’t be retired. On June 22, 2025, Vahva said, “Not yet.” Taking the track for the Chicago Stakes (USA-G2) at her favorite oval, Churchill Downs, Vahva pressed the early pace of Gray Lightning, assumed command at the top of the stretch, and ran on gamely for a three-quarters-length score over Claret Beret. Her performance was good for an Equibase speed figure of 113, the highest of her career. 2024 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (USA-G2) winner Zeitlos ran third, beaten another three and one-quarter lengths, with Grade 1 winner Brightwork and multiple graded stakes winners Emery and My Mane Squeeze further back. Now five-for-six at Churchill Downs and ten-for-thirteen at her favorite distance of 7 furlongs, Vahva is closing in on becoming a multimillionaire, having boosted her bankroll to $1,991,010 with the win.
Bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Vahva became the sixth graded stakes winner of 2025 for her sire Gun Runner. Currently third on the American general sire list, the 2017 Horse of the Year has finished among the nation’s top five sires for the last three years. Vahva is a member of his second crop, which also includes 2024 Churchill Downs Stakes (USA-G1) winner Gun Pilot.
Vahva was produced from Holiday Soiree who won the restricted Shine Again Stakes as a 4-year-old in 2013 and placed in five other stakes, among them the 2013 Humana Distaff Stakes (USA-G1). A half sister to multiple stakes winner Marquee Prince (by Cairo Prince), Holiday Soiree is by multiple Grade 1 winner Harlan’s Holiday, a rather underappreciated stallion who was the American champion juvenile sire of 2012. Unfortunately, Harlan’s Holiday died the following year at age 14, but he has been more than ably succeeded by his son Into Mischief, now a six-time leader of the American general sire list.
Vahva is inbred 4x4 to two-time American champion sire Storm Cat through his sons Giant’s Causeway, the broodmare sire of Gun Runner, and Harlan, the sire of Harlan’s Holiday. She carries a third cross of Storm Cat at the fifth generation through Holiday Soiree’s great-granddam Casanova Storm. This mare, a Grade-3 placed half sister to stakes winner Casanova Market (by Silver Ghost) and multiple Grade 1-placed Casanova Move (by Langfuhr), produced multiple turf Grade 3 winner Duveen (by Horse Chestnut) and restricted stakes winner Cherry Hill Lady (by Grand Slam). She also produced Casanova Striker (by Smart Strike), who produced four minor stakes winners.
Casanova Striker’s three stakes-winning daughters were unremarkable as producers, but her multiple stakes-placed daughter Try to Remember (by Include) is the dam of Holiday Soiree and Marquee Prince. She is also the dam of Swiss Alps (by Majesticperfection), dam of 2024 Seneca Overnight Stakes (USA-L) winner Miss Justify (by Justify). Holiday Soiree, also the dam of Grade 2-placed Signal From Noise (by Arrogate) and Ahavah (by City of Light), most recently produced Where Luck Lives, an unraced juvenile filly by Nyquist and a yearling filly by City of Light. She was bred to Gun Runner for this spring but has no produce listed for 2025.
A US$280,000 purchase from the 2021 Keeneland September sale, Vahva is undoubtedly worth more than that now if she never races another step. Assuming she remains in form, her most likely year-end target will be the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (USA-G1), which will be held at Del Mar this year. If she can manage to transfer her form to the West Coast, look for her to be a serious contender in this year’s female sprinter division.
Bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Vahva became the sixth graded stakes winner of 2025 for her sire Gun Runner. Currently third on the American general sire list, the 2017 Horse of the Year has finished among the nation’s top five sires for the last three years. Vahva is a member of his second crop, which also includes 2024 Churchill Downs Stakes (USA-G1) winner Gun Pilot.
Vahva was produced from Holiday Soiree who won the restricted Shine Again Stakes as a 4-year-old in 2013 and placed in five other stakes, among them the 2013 Humana Distaff Stakes (USA-G1). A half sister to multiple stakes winner Marquee Prince (by Cairo Prince), Holiday Soiree is by multiple Grade 1 winner Harlan’s Holiday, a rather underappreciated stallion who was the American champion juvenile sire of 2012. Unfortunately, Harlan’s Holiday died the following year at age 14, but he has been more than ably succeeded by his son Into Mischief, now a six-time leader of the American general sire list.
Vahva is inbred 4x4 to two-time American champion sire Storm Cat through his sons Giant’s Causeway, the broodmare sire of Gun Runner, and Harlan, the sire of Harlan’s Holiday. She carries a third cross of Storm Cat at the fifth generation through Holiday Soiree’s great-granddam Casanova Storm. This mare, a Grade-3 placed half sister to stakes winner Casanova Market (by Silver Ghost) and multiple Grade 1-placed Casanova Move (by Langfuhr), produced multiple turf Grade 3 winner Duveen (by Horse Chestnut) and restricted stakes winner Cherry Hill Lady (by Grand Slam). She also produced Casanova Striker (by Smart Strike), who produced four minor stakes winners.
Casanova Striker’s three stakes-winning daughters were unremarkable as producers, but her multiple stakes-placed daughter Try to Remember (by Include) is the dam of Holiday Soiree and Marquee Prince. She is also the dam of Swiss Alps (by Majesticperfection), dam of 2024 Seneca Overnight Stakes (USA-L) winner Miss Justify (by Justify). Holiday Soiree, also the dam of Grade 2-placed Signal From Noise (by Arrogate) and Ahavah (by City of Light), most recently produced Where Luck Lives, an unraced juvenile filly by Nyquist and a yearling filly by City of Light. She was bred to Gun Runner for this spring but has no produce listed for 2025.
A US$280,000 purchase from the 2021 Keeneland September sale, Vahva is undoubtedly worth more than that now if she never races another step. Assuming she remains in form, her most likely year-end target will be the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (USA-G1), which will be held at Del Mar this year. If she can manage to transfer her form to the West Coast, look for her to be a serious contender in this year’s female sprinter division.
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